Joe heard the unforgettable sound of a dragon in agony. Ravenna spun out of control, her wings folded to protect Lanys as she tumbled from the night sky, turning over and over, finally crashing into a stand of tall trees.

‘Isak!’ Joe yelled, running towards the trees. He couldn’t see his brother, or his golden dragon. He was gripped by panic. He couldn’t lose anyone else, not now. 264

Fear gave him wings, and he sped forwards, overtaking dozens of soldiers as the duke’s newly freed army took the battle to the palace. Petra and Heral were attacking its front doors, with a mass of soldiers surging behind them. In the dis­tance came a loud explosion, and the noise of shattering glass.

In the chaos, Joe searched breathlessly, shouting for his brother.

It was Ren who found them. The little purple dragon, almost invisible now in the darkness, went rustling into the undergrowth, and summoned Joe with an excited aark aaark aaark.

Then Belara struggled up, sending Ren skittering ner­vously away from her bulk, and Joe made out the familiar tall figure of his brother.

‘Isak! Over here!’ he cupped his hands to yell. ‘Watch out for Ren. She’s with me!’ Then he ran towards him.

Isak was limping, his face smudged with blood and ash, his eyeglasses askew, with a crack across one lens.

‘Are you all right?’ Joe hung back, full of fear suddenly.

‘Joe!’ His brother hugged him tightly, speaking into his neck. ‘Simeon told me you were alive.’

‘And Belara? I thought she was hurt.’ They both turned to look at the huge golden dragon. The gash on her chest was shallow, and most of the blood was drying stickily.

‘She will be fine – she managed to pull back at the last moment, or else we’d both be done for.’ Isak pounded Joe’s shoulder with relief, emotion making his voice crack. ‘You’re really alive! Oh, when the message came, I was so relieved. What did Dad say? He and Josi must—’ 265

‘No!’ Joe gulped. ‘Y-you don’t know? Y-you didn’t hear …’ he stuttered and stopped. Time did something strange, slowing down to a crawl. The world spun around them, all black sky and orange flame, but right here, there was an awful stillness.

Isak waited, studying his face in the dim light. ‘Tell me.’

Joe couldn’t speak. It was too much. It was too big. Ren whined and wound herself round his waist, sensing his emotion.

In the end, he didn’t have to say it. His silence did that. He shook his head, then scrubbed at his face with sleeve.

‘When?’ Isak was hoarse with tears.

‘Three days ago.’ Joe choked out the words in horrible little chunks. ‘As the Brotherhood took the city. We buried him. Josi and Matteo and me. I’m so sorry—’

Isak stumbled, and Joe caught him as he cried out, ‘No! Dad, no, he can’t be—’ He covered his face with his hands and sobbed.

Joe held his brother, feeling his heart break.